Use the Workpapers lock feature

One of the main benefits of working in the cloud is the ability to collaborate with clients and colleagues within a firm.

During the year-end workflow, accounting professionals like to have even more line-of-sight into the transactions that are being added to QuickBooks Online.

If you're an accountant or bookkeeper who does year-end work, it will bring you some comfort that we are introducing our new feature User Lock. This feature allows you to lock the year-end Workpapers as you review and adjust the financial statements.

In this article, you'll learn how to:

• Lock Workpapers
• Unlock Workpapers

Lock Workpapers

1. Sign in to QuickBooks Online Accountant.
2. Open the client file to be archived.
3. Select the Accountant tools briefcase icon in the top-left corner of the screen and select Workpapers, or you can access Workpapers under the Books to Tax section of the left navigation menu.
4. Select Workpapers.
5. Select the Locked padlock icon. 
   
   
   
   The Lock/close your books window displays. 
   
   

6. Select the Lock/close your books checkbox.
7. Enter a date in the Lock/close a date field.
8. Select a setting in the Allow changes after field.
9. Enter and confirm a password. This password may be kept to yourself or shared with your firm’s users if they need to make an additional entry.
   Note: Lost or forgotten passwords cannot be recovered in Workpapers.
10. Select Save.

The file is locked and a LOCKED VIEW ONLY designation displays on the file going forward.  

Unlock Workpapers

If you missed entering a transaction or a supporting document, you can quickly unlock files to make new edits.

1. Select the LOCKED VIEW ONLY designation in the locked file. 
    
   
   
   The Unlock/open your books window displays.
   
   
   
2. Select the Unlock/open the books checkbox.
3. Enter a date in the Unlock/open date field.
4. Select a setting in the Reason field.
5. Enter the password in the Password field.
6. Select Save.